• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3451-3455
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• 2015

Objective: To explore the application of joint detection of serum AFP, CA19-9, CA125 and CEA in identification and diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CC). Materials and Methods: The levels of serum AFP, CA19-9, CA125 and CEA of both 30 patients with CC and 30 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic effects of single and joint detection of those 4 kinds of tumor markers for CC. Results: The levels of serum CA19-9, CA125 and CEA in CC patients were higher than that in HCC patients,whereas that of serum AFP was significantly lower s. The area under ROC curve of single detection of serum AFP, CA19-9, CA125 and CEA were 0.05, 0.86, 0.84 and 0.83, with the optimal cutoff values of 15.4 ng/ml, 125.1 U/ml, 95.7 U/ml and 25.9 ng/ml, correspondingly, and the percentage correct single diagnosis was <79%. With joint detection, the diagnostic effect of combined AFP, CA19-9, CA125 and CEA was the highest, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.94 (95%CI 0.88~0.99). Conclusions: Single detection of serum CA19-9, CA125 and EA is not meaningful. The sensitivity, specificity, the rate of correct diagnosis and the area under ROC curve of joint detection of AFP, CA19-9, CA125 and CEA are highest, indicating that the joint detection of these 4 tumor markers is of great importance in the diagnosis of CC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.409-412
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• 2009

Background: Several large outbreaks have demonstrated the threat of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in close-contact environments, such as occurs during training and quartering of military recruits training. In South Korea, which is a hospital or healthcare-associated MRSA prevalent area, military service is compulsory for all healthy young men. We surveyed and determined the extent of CA-MRSA colonization in the upper respiratory tracts of Korean military recruits. Methods: The Korean military recruits who were enrolled in a military training facility from November 2004 to March 2005 were eligible for this study. Sputum or nasopharyngeal swap was obtained from randomly selected subjects who displayed upper respiratory tract symptoms. Results: Of the 181 participants, 32 participants (17.7%) were colonized with S. aureus, and 12 participants (6.6%) were colonized with MRSA. Among the cases that were colonized with S. aureus, 37.5% (12/32) were colonized with MRSA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed resistant patterns that were suggestive of the CA-MRSA strains for all of the MRSA isolates. Conclusion: This study of Korean military recruits found a great deal of showed MRSA colonization in them, and the antimicrobial resistant profile that was suggestive of a CA-MRSA strain. Further efforts to prevent the spread of MRSA infections and careful monitoring for CA-MRSA outbreaks are warranted, especially in a high risk group such as military recruits.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2014

Aspirin has been demonstrated to be effective in inhibiting COX-2 and $PGE_2$ in Alveolar macrophages (AMs). However, the mechanisms have not been fully understood. In the present study, we found that pretreatment with aspirin inhibited LPS-induced COX-2 and$PGE_2$ upregulation, $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation, NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and the increase of PKC activity, but elevated LPS-induced the decrease of PTP activity. The PKC inhibitor calphostin C dramatically reduced the COX-2 mRNA and $PGE_2$ levels, but the PTP inhibitor peroxovanadium (POV) significantly increased the COX-2 mRNA and$PGE_2$ levels. Furthermore, the PTP inhibitor mitigated the inhibitory effect of aspirin on COX-2 and$PGE_2$ upregulation and NF-${\kappa}B$ activation, whereas the PKC inhibitor enhanced the inhibitory effects of aspirin on the production of COX-2 and$PGE_2$. Our data indicate a novel mechanism by which aspirin acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent in alveolus macrophages and ALI.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2013

Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) apoptosis induced by hypoxia compromise intestinal epithelium barrier function. Both Akt and Hsp90 have cytoprotective function. However, the specific role of Akt and $Hsp90{\beta}$ in IEC apoptosis induced by hypoxia has not been explored. We confirmed that hypoxia-induced apoptosis was reduced by $Hsp90{\beta}$ overexpression but enhanced by decreasing $Hsp90{\beta}$ expression. $Hsp90{\beta}$ overexpression enhanced BAD phosphorylation and thus reduced mitochondrial release of cytochrome C. Reducing $Hsp90{\beta}$ expression had opposite effects. The protective effect of $Hsp90{\beta}$ against apoptosis was negated by LY294002, an Akt inhibitor. Further study showed that Akt phosphorylation was enhanced by $Hsp90{\beta}$, which was not due to the activation of upstream PI3K and PDK1 but because of stabilization of pAkt via direct interaction between $Hsp90{\beta}$ and pAkt. These results demonstrate that $Hsp90{\beta}$ may play a significant role in protecting IECs from hypoxia-induced apoptosis via stabilizing pAkt to phosphorylate BAD and reduce cytochrome C release.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.393-400
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• 2017

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by lack of insulin and high glucose levels. T2DM can cause bone loss and fracture, thus leading to diabetic osteoporosis. Promoting osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts may effectively treat diabetic osteoporosis. We previously reported that Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), a $NAD^+$-dependent deacetylase, promotes osteogenic differentiation through downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\gamma}$. We also found that miR-132 regulates osteogenic differentiation by downregulating Sirt1 in a $PPAR{\beta}/{\delta}$-dependent manner. The ligand-activated transcription factor, $PPAR{\alpha}$, is another isotype of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor family that helps maintain bone homeostasis and promot bone formation. Whether the regulatory role of $PPAR{\alpha}$ in osteogenic differentiation is mediated via Sirt1 remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to determine this role and the underlying mechanism by using high glucose (HG) and free fatty acids (FFA) to mimic T2DM in MC3T3-E1 cells. The results showed that HG-FFA significantly inhibited expression of $PPAR{\alpha}$, Sirt1 and osteogenic differentiation, but these effects were markedly reversed by $PPAR{\alpha}$ overexpression. Moreover, siSirt1 attenuated the positive effects of $PPAR{\alpha}$ on osteogenic differentiation, suggesting that $PPAR{\alpha}$ promotes osteogenic differentiation in a Sirt1-dependent manner. Luciferase activity assay confirmed interactions between $PPAR{\alpha}$ and Sirt1. These findings indicate that $PPAR{\alpha}$ promotes osteogenic differentiation via the Sirt1-dependent signaling pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6889-6892
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• 2013

Background: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are a relatively common malignancy in young men. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features and survival of young Turkish patients with TGCT. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, the clinical and pathological characteristics of young Turkish patients with TGCT who were monitored by the Department of Medical Oncology of a military hospital between 2008 and 2013 were investigated. Overall survival data were analyzed. Results: Ninety-six patients were included in the study. The mean age was 26.4 years. Among the patients, 17.7% had seminoma and 43.8% had mixed non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Some 46.9% were Stage I, 30.2% were Stage II, and 22.9 were Stage III. Of the patients, 83.3% received chemotherapy, 25% underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), 3.1% received radiotherapy, and 12.5% were followed-up without treatment. In addition, 18.8% of the patients were administered salvage chemotherapy due to relapse or progression. The 5-year overall survival rate was 90.2% for all patients. The 2-year overall survival rate was 100% for Stage I patients, 94% for Stage II patients, and 70.2% for Stage III patients. The difference between the survival curves of stages was statistically significant (p=0.029). Conclusions: In young Turkish patients with TGCT, good results were obtained with appropriate treatment, most receiving chemotherapy. The prognosis of the disease was good even in the advanced stage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3325-3328
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• 2012

Aim: To evaluate the association of glutathione S-transferases gene polymorphisms with the risk of gastric cancer, with reference to smoking and Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods: We conducted a 1:1 matched case-control study with 410 gastric cancer cases and 410 cancer-free controls. Polymorphisms of GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 were determined using PCR-CTPP. Results: The GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were significantly associated with the risk of gastric cancer after adjusting for potential confounding factors (OR=1.68, 95% CI=1.32-2.23 for null GSTM1, OR=1.73; 95% CI=1.24-2.13 for null GSTT1). The combination of null GSTM1 and null GSTT1 conferred an elevated risk (OR=2.54, 95% CI=1.55-3.39). However, no association was found for GSTP1 polymorphism The smoking modified the association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes with the risk of gastric cancer. Conclusion: GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes are associated with increased risk of gastric cancer, and smoking modifies the association.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.767-773
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• 2012

The esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. Understanding molecular changes in ESCC should improve identification of risk factors with different molecular subtypes and provide potential targets for early detection and therapy. Our study aimed to obtain a molecular signature of ESCC through the regulation network based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We used the GSE23400 series to identify potential genes related to ESCC. Based on bioinformatics we constructed a regulation network. From the results, we could establish that many transcription factors and pathways closely related with ESCC were linked by our method. STAT1 also arose as a hub node in our transcriptome network, along with some transcription factors like CCNB1, TAP1, RARG and IFITM1 proven to be related with ESCC by previous studies. In conclusion, our regulation network provided information on important genes which might be useful in investigating the complex interacting mechanisms underlying the disease.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.23-44
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• 2016

We conducted this research for the purpose of examining the effects of organizational culture on service quality and customer satisfaction in the military hospital organizations in Korea. The research samples were collected from employees in 12 military hospitals belonged to the Armed Forces Command. For the analysis we used SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 20.0 program for conducting reliability tests, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation model analysis in order to find the relationship between the variables analyzed. The result of this study shows that the military hospitals in Korea have strong relationship-oriented culture, but weak hierarchy-oriented culture. Among the three groups of military hospitals, innovation-oriented culture and relationship-oriented culture were the strongest in the executive agency hospital group, task-oriented culture was the strongest in the group of the he frontline hospitals and hierarchy-oriented culture was the strongest in the group of the rear area hospitals. It was found that the executive agency hospitals have the strongest service quality and customer satisfaction among the hospital groups analyzed. This research also found that relationship-oriented culture and innovation-oriented culture have a direct positive(+) effect on service quality; hierarchy oriented culture has a direct negative(-) effect on service quality; task oriented culture has a direct positive(+) effect on customer satisfaction, and service quality mediated between organizational culture and customer satisfaction. The findings from this study suggests that implementing the dynamic strategies for organizational culture with focus on service qualities is needed given that customer satisfaction in the military hospitals is highly affected by service quality.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4777-4781
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the efficacy and safety of different doses of thalidomide (Thal) plus dexamethasone (Dex) as the initial therapy in elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). Methods: Clinical data of 28 elderly patients with newly diagnosed MM who underwent the TD regimen as the initial therapy were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups according to the maximal sustained dose of Thal: lower dose (group A) and higher dose (group B). The overall response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AES) were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 28 patients were followed up with a median of 18 months. The ORR was 60.1%. The median response time and PFS were 2.0 and 17.0 months, respectively. The mean sustained dose of Thal in group B was significantly higher than group A (292.9 mg v 180.4 mg, P=0.01). There was no significantly difference in ORR (57.1% v 64.3%, P=1.00) and PFS (9.63months v 17.66 months, P=0.73) between groups A and B. During the follow up, only five patients died (<40%) and, therefore, median OS values were not available. It is estimated, however, that the mean survival time in the two groups was 35.6 and 33.4 months (P>0.05), respectively. All of the patients tolerated the treatment well. The incidence of AES in patients with a grading above 3 in group B was significantly higher than in group A (P=0.033). Conclusions: The TD regimen results in a high response rate and manageable AES as the initial therapy in elderly patients with MM. TD should be considered as the front line regimen for the treatment of elderly patients with MM in areas with financial constraints. The clinical response can be achieved at a low dose Thal with minimal toxicity.